Washington

The Elwha River Trail cuts south into the heart of Olympic National Park along a densely forested valley, following the same route taken by some of the earliest explorers of the Olympic Peninsula at the end of the 19th century. Past Port Angeles, at a hard curve in US-101, take Olympic Hot Sprin...

At the Snow Lake Trail, you start at a elevation of 1400 feet and run up to Nada Lake 5000 feet at 5.6 miles. From here, you make your way to Lower and Upper Snow Lake, 2.2 miles. There are a lot of campsites in this area, but you have to apply to stay the night at these lakes. You will need to...

Starting at the Snow Lake Trail Head you climb up the boot pack or ski track of those before you (hopefully) from ~3120 ft. to ~4400 ft. at the ridge line where Snow Lake becomes visible. If there are no tracks, follow the South Fork Snoqualmie River NE and aim just east of the lowest point of t...

Far from the iconic skyline of Seattle, on King County's Eastern boundary, is a lesser known natural skyscraper named Mt. Daniel. At 7960 feet plus, Mt. Daniel's true summit effortlessly juts into the sky as King County's tallest point.From Roslyn, head North for roughly 15 miles on Salmon La Sac...

This backpacking trip can easily be done in 2 days, but some people prefer to stretch it out to 3. Luckily there are several different spots to stop and camp, so you can split up the distance however you are the most comfortable. The elevation over the course of the trail is minimal, which means ...

This is one of my favorite hikes for Washington State. Aside from the massive volcanoes hanging out down here, the southern region of the cascades is much more tame compared to areas further north. As I mentioned in my Old Snowy report, a jaw dropping side trip from the loop trail, the Goat Rocks...

This hike starts out at Artist Point, where already you can see jaw-dropping scenery of Mt. Shuksan, Baker, Coleman, and many other peaks of the North Cascades. No matter what time of year you visit, you are bound to get unbelievable views and photos.Artist Point is the furthest destination along...

Starting out from the beautiful Mowich Lake (4,929 ft), this hike takes you through some of Mt. Rainier Nation Park's best scenery. Thanks to the 13 miles of dirt roads it takes to even get to the trailhead, this hike is also rarely crowded. At 5.5 miles roundtrip to Eunice Lake, this is a grea...

Starting at Rainy Pass trailhead, you'll proceed to skirt high above Lake Ann on a marvelously maintained trail. Without realizing you're about to arrive at a pass, you'll come to Heather Pass, where you'll need to take a right. Continuing straight is also a popular hike, especially during peak l...

Head up the road about .75 miles and take a left onto the Klondike Swamp Trail (well-singed). Stay on Klondike for a mile before taking a left onto Lost Beagle Trail. From here the trail climbs uphill and wraps around the edge of the park, offering views of the surrounding area. Hop on Shangri-La...

This short, steep hike offers rewarding views that is well worth the vertical challenge. Round trip this hike is only 3.5 miles but you will gain 1400 feet elevation in the first mile. The trail starts off with switchbacks that head straight up the hill then about 200 feet from the wilderness bo...

Pack your sunglasses because this is one snowy hike! Camp Muir is a perfect camping or extended day hike destination for anyone who wants to experience the enchantment of Mount Rainier without committing to the summit. Starting at the Paradise trailhead at almost 4700 feet up, a steep and extreme...

As attempting to find a good overnight spot, I stumbled upon the mostly overlooked Ingalls Creek trail. Seemingly easy to get to, this seemed like a solid option for Spring camping. When we arrived, there were about four other cars in the parking lot, and my guess is that was about how many cars ...

Driving Directions: From Seattle drive east on I-90 to exit 54 (signed "Hyak"). Turn left (north) under the freeway and right on the frontage road marked "Gold Creek." After about 0.5 mile turn left (north) on Gold Creek Road (Forest Road 4832), and in another 0.5 mile reach a junction. To the ...

Drive USFS Road 62 for 23 miles from Lake Wenatchee (turn left at Cole's Corner off of Highway 2 towards Lake Wenatchee). Turn right on USFS Road 6211 for ~2.5 miles to the end at the Phelps Creek Trailhead. Begin to hike the Phelps Creek Trail but in 1/4-1/2 a mile, take a right on the Carne Mo...

This is the Section J hike of the Pacific Crest Trail between Stevens and Snoqualmie Pass. It is about a 70 mile hike, and I started near Stevens Pass heading South. The PCT starts at the Stevens Pass Ski Resort off of Highway 2. The trail starts out under chairlifts and through ski runs – I chos...